Rous County Council wants purified recycled water to one day form part of drinking water supplies in New South Wales. Unfortunately, the scheme currently faces plenty of planning, regulatory, public health, funding and other hurdles – not to mention securing community support and acceptance. Overcoming these barriers is why Rous County Council is proposing to … Continued
Australian researchers, water utilities, donors, non-government organisations and the private sector are considering how to effectively support gender equality and inclusion within their own institutions, and in the programs they fund. Gender equality and inclusion in the workforce has gained increasing focus and awareness overall, with the spotlight currently on Parliament House, but the issues … Continued
The Waterwise Perth Action Plan is a coordinated response to the impacts of climate change and urban growth on water and livability. Led by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and involving eight state government agencies, the plan was developed following engagement and collaboration with more than 50 organisations and over 200 individuals. The … Continued
Sewage treatment is an energy-demanding process. In a world first, a consortium of partners – led by The University of Queensland – successfully demonstrated a novel biotechnology for treating sewage without net energy input, generating biogas and achieving nutrient discharge limits. The free nitrous acid (FNA) biotechnology was trialled at pilot scale at Urban Utilities’ … Continued
Climate extremes are not going away during the pandemic and are testing water management to its limits. We need robust interdisciplinary solutions from climate scientists, social scientists, engineers and lawyers sooner rather than later. The United Nations recently announced that progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 on access to clean water and sanitation for all … Continued
There are two undeniable facts when it comes to agricultural water use: humans need food to survive and food needs water to be produced. With these realities, one would initially think agricultural water use would be perceived as a fundamental and critical requirement for the survival and health of a population. In current times, however, … Continued
Recycle water used to boost growth and new development in South Australia. One of SA Water’s largest recycled water initiatives is the Virginia Pipeline Scheme (VPS), which has provided approximately 20 billion litres of high-quality recycled water from the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant to roughly 360 customers in the northern Adelaide area every year for … Continued
As our changing climate continues to increase the need for sustainable and weather-independent water sources, there are significant opportunities for Australia’s water industry to expand the use of treated wastewater. While substituting recycled water for flushing toilets and irrigating gardens provides benefits to managing the country’s water supply, less than 20 per cent of Australia’s … Continued
The gas trapped in Antarctic ice cores is known to provide unique insights into Earth’s ancient atmosphere. Perhaps lesser known is the value of gases in Australian groundwater – the terrestrial equivalent. That’s because underneath parts of our flat, dry, ancient continent runs – very slowly– some of the oldest water on Earth. A new laboratory at … Continued
Australia can learn from regulatory changes in the United Kingdom, which could help water utilities put the customer front and centre in a competitive market. Water price regulation is transforming – from frameworks that focus on incentivising cost efficiency and efficient pricing structures, to better engagement with customers about their values and priorities, and using … Continued